Movies Are Important
Movies mean more to us than entertainment. Let’s write like they do.
Movies are important because stories are vital to us as humans. We are constantly imagining things we wish may happen and events we fear may occur. In either case, we ask the question that prompts all movies, “What if…?”.
Movies show people using their imagination and intelligence to overcome seemingly insurmountable hurdles, as well as people getting stuck. Movies, stories, can help us solve problems and come to terms with difficult situations. When life gets complicated, when we no longer see the woods for the trees, they can show us fresh perspectives.
Some movies and television dramas have had a huge impact by raising awareness of social issues. Films and television series such as “Schindler’s List”, “Roots”, “Hotel Ruanda” and “The Day After Tomorrow” have handled heavy topics. Others, from “Singing in the Rain” to “Amelie”, depict lightness and magic. Movies don’t merely entertain. Even the lighter ones, fulfill needs for consolation, at the very least.
Consider all the tough heroes who save the day and beat the bad guys. From “Dirty Harry” to “Die Hard” and “Taken”, these movies are also comfort food. Not only romantic comedies serve it. Tough-guy movies fulfill our wishes to at least imagine there will be someone to rescue us from evil-doers. In that way, these films have a similar function as fairy tales do for children. They show that bad things happen, but that they can be overcome. Hence the generally happy endings for both fairy tales and action-hero movies.
Comedies are full of unhappy moments. Doubts, fears and tragic events, clothed in humour. Comedies help us deal with awful things in life by giving us a way to laugh at them. The classic Freudian theory being that when we laugh at someone falling down, we are not really laughing at them. We laugh because we are pleased it’s not us who has fallen down.
Do films have a life after they have been watched? If they touched, excited or puzzled us, yes. Most films don’t stay with us. Those that do, are the ones worth writing about.
We may discard a film as stupid, ridiculous, meaningless. Someone else may feel the opposite. When they explain it, we may begin to see the movie from a completely different angle. We may decide to watch it again from a fresh perspective and end up feeling quite differently. It’s the goal of sharing art, to discover different ways of looking at the world. It’s a means of exploration, of learning about ourselves.
Considering how important movies are to us, would it not make sense to spend more time investigating the stories, characters and themes in the movies which mean something to us? To explore cinema in more depth. To dig deeper than reviews generally allow.
That is what Cinesprit is here to do. Cinesprit explores what movies really mean to people by investigating the themes and ideas conveyed through movies. We want to encourage more people to share their enthusiasm for cinema and to discuss movies with us.
